hello, and welcome back to nhk "newsline." it's wednesday, august 14th. i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. japanese prime minister shinzo abe has skirted controversy. he's decided not to go to a shrine in tokyo on thursday to observe the anniversary of the end of world war ii. the shrine honors japan's war dead including leaders convicted of crimes after the war. abe himself has not disclosed

whether he'll visit the shrine, but government sources say he'll stay away. they say instead he'll pay for a custom honored at the shrine and make an offering of the branch of the sacred tree. chinese and south korean leaders condemned visits to a place that honors war criminals. and the government sources say abe wants to avoid any further strains in foreign relations. but he says the 18 other members of his cabinet are free to visit the shrine. deputy prime minister aso, foreign minister and 12 others say they won't go on the anniversary. the other four members of the cabinet have not said what they'll do. students and staff at a university in okinawa, southern japan are remembering a terrifying day on their campus. a u.s. helicopter crash there nine years ago. the school marked the anniversary by calling for a nearby american military base to be shut down. >> translator: nine years ago, a u.s. military helicopter crashed

on campus, went up in flames and terrified the faculty, students and people living nearby. another accident can happen as long as the u.s. futenma air station exists and the osprey aircraft keep flying over the city. >> the president of the university urged the japanese and u.s. governments to close the futenma air station. he said the site should be returned to okinawa. a helicopter from the base went down on campus in 2004. no one died. it was one of more than 40 crashes by u.s. military aircraft in okinawa since the prefecture reverted to japanese control in 1972. last week a helicopter slammed into a hillside at a different base killing one crew member. okinawa assembly lawmakers visited the defense ministry in tokyo to deliver a petition for an investigation. they also handed a petition to the office of prime minister shinzo abe. >> translator: a new fleet of

the osprey has arrived despite safety concerns expressed by lawmakers and the okinawa governor. i've voiced frustration that the results of the investigation into the crash have not been shared with the people of okinawa. >> the base where the recent crash happened is near a village. residents are planning a rally next week to draw attention to the risks they face. members of japan's maritime self-defense force have carried out a dangerous operation in busy coastal waters. they've detonated a mine thought to have been dropped by the u.s. during world war ii. the device was lying on the seabed in western japan. more than 500 ships pass through the narrow waterway on a daily basis. workers discovered the mine during a dredging operation off the coast. a self-defense force team moved it about four kilometers away into the ocean to blow it up.

defense officials said combatants laid at least 4500 mines in the strait during the war. it's feared many of the explosives are still lying on the sea floor. a play depicting a sad chapter in american history has made its overseas debut in hiroshima. it's the story of japanese americans interned in camps world war ii. japanese-american actors have performed the play for nearly three decades, but they wanted to bring the story to the land of their ancestors. nhk's jun atsumoto has the story. >> who do you want to win the war? >> when your mother and father are having a fight, do you want them to kill each other, or do you just want them to stop fighting? >> reporter: this man is 80

years old and the eldest cast member. he's from the second generation of japanese-americans. his parents emigrated from hiroshima to the u.s. they were made prisoners in their adopted home. now he has returned to hiroshima. >> we are probably the last generation of people that experienced the story ourselves in our personal lives and our family. and if we don't tell that story, who will? >> reporter: breaking the silence, dramatizing the hardship that three generations of japanese-americans endured and overcame. actors have performed the play more than 200 times over nearly three decades in the united states. the show in hiroshima will be the first premiere abroad. ♪

>> like most newcomers, early japanese came to america full of hope. >> reporter: 340,000 japanese went to america before the second world war. many worked on farms, but laws prohibited them from owning land or even becoming american citizens. >> no japs! >> go home! >> go home, japs! >> reporter: he lived in seattle with his parents and brothers. the u.s. entered the war in 1941 after japan attacked pearl harbor. the government sent 120,000 japanese-americans to internment camps in deserts and swamps. his family was among them. he was 10.

>> we were imprisoned by barbed wires and armed guard watch towers and so we lost our freedom. >> reporter: after the war, the japanese-americans were released. many of them found it difficult to talk about the war. they chose to be silent. it was this man from the third generation who broke the silence. the civil rights movement which started in the late '50s prompted the younger generation to speak out. >> we will have no more of this silence. >> the silence is broken. >> the silence is broken. >> reporter: finally, in the 1980s, a congressional

commission found the camps were not justified by military necessity. the government said the program was a result of racial prejudice and issued an apology. >> and yet, it did not devour me. >> and yet, it did not humble me. >> and yet, it did not break me. [ applause ] >> translator: there are many things i don't know. this play taught me a lot. we know that war is wrong, but this play helps us understand that even more. >> we cannot let this happen again to another group of people, no matter what -- what their race, what their color of their skin is, what their religion is. >> reporter: he and other cast members believe the play will

serve as a message to younger generations, even after they're gone. they want people to learn the importance of creating a world without war and discrimination. jun yotsumoto, nhk world, hiroshima. hiroshima, nagasaki. the atomic bombings killed thousands of people in an instant, and left survivors suffering in the ruins. "newsline" is looking back on what happened then and what's happened since. don't miss our special coverage, "war to peace: lessons of 1945" through thursday, august 15. supporters of the ousted egyptian president are defying orders from the interim government to get off the streets. they've staged another protest demanding that mohamed morsi be

reinstated. morsi supporters in the muslim brotherhood organized a rally in the capital cairo. they ran into supporters of the government, and the two groups started fighting. security forces moved in, firing tear gas to disperse the crowds. leaders of the military-led government have warned morsi supporters repeatedly to end their sit-ins. but the protesters don't seem to be listening. the government leaders are taking other steps to reinforce their control. they removed 20 pro vinceal governors and replaced them with their own lineup. the u.s. justice department is challenging the proposed merger of american airlines and usairways. the merger would create the world's biggest carrier. the department has filed a lawsuit to block the merger, saying it violates antitrust laws. attorney general eric holder said in a statement that passengers would end up paying higher air fares and have fewer choices. he also said ensuring robust competition in the market serves the best interests of consumers.

american airlines is the country's third largest carrier. it went bankrupt two years ago, and has been undergoing business restructuring. american airlines and usairways, the fifth largest carrier, announced in february they would merge in late 2013. lawyers representing a group of romanians say their clients haven't burned the famous paintings they're accused of stealing. the masterpieces are worth tens of millions of dollars. the heist occurred at a dutch museum last year. lawyers for the six suspects made the claim at the opening session of their trial in the romanian capital bucharest. the defendants are accused of stealing seven paintings by picasso, monet, and other renowned artists. the works were stolen from rotterdam's gallery last october. the mother of the alleged ringleader reportedly told investigators that she had burned the paintings, but lawyers say she retracted her confession. >> she said all the time what

she said today. no burn, no paintings in the fire. we keep the paintings somewhere. >> they say five of the paintings are probably in romania, and two are for sale in belgium or neighboring countries. more and more people in industrialized nations are developing food allergies, and there's been a corresponding increase in the number of deaths. the risks have prompted school administrators in the u.s. to take extra precautions to protect their students. nhk world's john ellis guardiola has the story. >> reporter: last month children with food allergies and their rents gathered to publicize the dangers of their condition. >> to help people understand more about what it -- like to

help prevent people dying from peanut allergies. >> reporter: a 7-year-old girl in the state of virginia died last year after eating a peanut, a food she was allergic to. since then, parents, schools and legislators in the u.s. have taken steps to avert accidents like that. they are trying a variety of methods to prevent students from accidentally eating allergenic foods. at this nebraska elementary school, students' fingers are scanned to identify children who have food allergies. first grader coleman savich is allergic to peanuts. whenever he is scanned, the computer flashes a warning. >> this comes in very handy, especially at the beginning of the school year when we have new kids coming, and i don't really know the kids that well. >> reporter: children with peanut allergies sit at a

designated table where they eat non-allergenic food. with this arrangement, it's not as likely the children will come into contact with food that contains peanuts. but if a child should eat a dangerous food and find breathing difficult or lose consciousness, the staff are prepared. they can administer an epipen. in 1998, nebraska was the first state to adopt a rule requiring schools to have an epipen on hand. if a student goes into severe shock, it's the teacher's responsibility to administer the device. faculty members who give injections are not held responsible if something goes wrong. but teachers must receive regular training on how to use the epipen. >> where's the only place we can

get them? >> thigh. >> the outer thigh. so we go to that area. and how long do we hold it? >> ten seconds. >> ten seconds. we let that medication get in. >> reporter: andrea holka runs a group that spreads information about food allergies. her group has even investigated accidents at schools and held study sessions so a more rigorous protocol could be implemented. >> this is, you know, a life-threatening asthma attack or a life-threatening severe allergy. you have to act so quickly due to those tragic deaths at school, the school community reached out to medical professionals. they came together, and they came up with a protocol. >> reporter: the countermeasures have had good results. for example, high school freshman leandrea martinez went into sudden shock after eating a sunflower seed at school. a teacher injected an epipen, and the girl recovered. >> it really doesn't. it's easy to do.

we've been trained here. we train every year at it. as a first responder, i look at it as my duty to make sure every student i treat as my own, make sure i give them the best care i can give them at the time. >> if they didn't have it, i could have died. you never know. and that scares me. i feel great. i feel happy. and i'm thankful for my teachers that were there to help me. >> difficulty breathing. >> reporter: 15 million people in the united states are said to be allergic to some kind of food. while nearly half of the u.s.'s 50 states have laws requiring schools to stock epipens, other states are still debating legislation to save children. john ellis-guardiola, nhk world. global prices for oil and

liquefied natural gas are going up. so electric companies are taking a second look at coal. the fossil fuel has a reputation for being dirty and dangerous to people's health, but technology developed in japan is turning coal into cleaner and safer energy source. nhk world's report reporters. >> reporter: this coal-fired power station in yokohama has been attracting a lot of attention. recently, officials from state-run financial institutions from tanzania visited the plant to get a close-up look. >> we normally see smoke coming out. >> reporter: the power plant is the world's cleanest coal-fired power station. the plant's state-of-the-art system uses activated carbon to absorb harmful sulfur oxide in

the exhaust fumes. as much as 98% of the sulfur content is removed. equipped with the most advanced type, the plant's carbon dioxide emissions are among the world's lowest. in conventional coal-fired plants, crushed coal is burned to generate steam. this creates pressure to drive the turbine and make electricity. at this plant, the pipes used to transfer the steam are made of a special stain little alloy. they can endure higher temperatures and pressure, and generate more electricity. this means less coal is burned. the improvement of the pipes increases the turbine output and reduces the amount of coal

needed as fuel. carbon dioxide emissions have been reduced by almost 20%. >> i think that power plant we've just seen, it's one, you know -- the best in the world. we hope we'll create enough partnership in order to build the new power generation in africa. >> translator: we've been trying to improve efficiency, use as little fuel as possible and reduce co2 emissions. i think this technology has reached its highest level. >> reporter: engineers use their experience with serious air pollution to improve a coal-fired power system. at this laboratory, researchers are developing technology to improve efficiency and make the exhaust cleaner. their secret, gasifying coal.

this is an experimental device that allows researchers to look inside the furnace. crushed coal is put inside. the researchers then spin the device, raise the temperature and apply pressure to generate gas. the researchers say the device not only eliminates co2 almost completely, but also the toxic sulfur content. then distilled hydrogen gas is burned and injected, and the pressure drives the turbine. waste heat is used a second time to rotate the turbine, making the system even more efficient. >> translator: by introducing our technology around the world, we can contribute to reducing co2 emissions as well as energy

conservation. that's what we're trying to do with this technology. >> reporter: the plant in h hiroshima is set to be the first to use the gasified system. when operations commence in 2017, it will mark another step in the search for cleaner energy sources. nhk world. let's take a look at the market figures now.

time for a check on the weather with meteorologist. good morning. you've been keeping an eye on the powerful typhoon making its way towards southern china. what's happening there now? >> yes, catherine, the strong typhoon is getting closer to southern china. it has already brought 165 millimeters of rain and over 70 kilometers per hour winds in some places. now, here is the projected path. the center is expected to head towards the northwest and will likely reach western guangdong tonight. we thought it could become a strong typhoon yesterday. after making landfall, it should quickly weaken to a tropical depression. waves are going to be very

gigantic, and winds are going to be very strong. and on top of that drenching rain, more than 200 millimeters of rain is likely to fall in parts of southwestern guangdong and 100 millimeters of rain for the hong kong area. and you'll notice that southern taiwan and western luzon will be hit by torrents of heavy rain. the ground is already well saturated because of the previous storm systems that hit earlier this week -- this month. so this rain has certainly raised the potential for flooding as well as landslides even further. now, up towards the north in japan, it's summer, of course, stifling hot conditions are continuing, and many people are enjoying summer festivals under scorching hot conditions, and this is the one coming out from the prefecture. take a look at this video. people here dance through the night in the heat wave. it's a traditional festival celebrated for 400 years. temperatures soared to 36 degrees yesterday, but the

overnight low dipped to 19 degrees. some 60,000 residents and visitors gathered last night. most in their summer kimono. the festival continues until earlier saturday morning. now, it's a nighttime event, so it's not going to be too much of a problem. if you're headed to the daytime event, please make sure to drink plenty of water to avoid heat stroke. heavy rain continue as cross the border of north korea and northeastern china. heighteneding the risk of flooding even further. extremely hot in japan. 38 for you in osaka. the heat heads slightly east across the east coast of china. shanghai at 35 degrees on wednesday. all right. north america, people in the northeast struggled with flash floods and drenching rain. 50 millimeters of rain fell in philadelphia over the past 24 hours. the rain band has shifted over the water. but the frontal system is still lingering across the

southeastern corner of the u.s., providing a risk of flooding out there. spotty showers as well as thunderstorms for the northern and central parts of the plains. but the rain is not going to affect the northwest where rain is desperately needed. wildfires are occurring, and the smoke from the wildfires are actually causing low visibility and also bad air quality in the northwest. temperatures are going to be cooling down into comfortable level in chicago at 24 degrees. 24 in new york city with a low of only 14 degrees. so late septemberlike weather ahead of on you your wednesday. now in europe, then, severe weather still continues across the northern areas of europe. but dry weather continues across the southern half of the continent. temperatures are mild in many places. however, the peninsula will be soaring up to dangerous level once again into your friday. here's your extended forecast.

we'd like to share one more story before we go. people in southwestern japan are enjoying the last few days of their summer holiday not on a beach but in a limestone cave to escape the scorching heat. the daytime high was 34.4 degrees celsius on tuesday. but the average temperature inside the cave is about 16 degrees celsius throughout the year. visitors enjoy dipping their feet in a cold underground stream. >> translator: wow! it's so cold! >> translator: i don't get sweaty, even holding my child. it's very comfy. >> city officials say the heat wave has boosted the number of visitors to 1.5 times the usual number. this week they're expecting over 3,000 visitors per d and that is all for this

edition of "newsline." i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. thanks very much for joining us. 

>> i'm the executive vice president of the wilson center. i want to welcome all of you today. the wilson center was chartered by the congress as the official memorial to our 28th president. it is the nation's key nonpartisan policy form for tackling global issues through independent research, open